Blogging Beautifully For Today’s Brides

Diet woes of brides is nothing new. Who doesn’t want to look their best on their wedding day? But when a bride loses her life because of an inappropriate diet, we should all be questioning the quality of diet information that is being communicated over the airways, in books and over the internet.

Thatsfit.com reports today that Samantha Clowe, a 34 year old woman that was preparing for her wedding went on a crash diet that may have contributed to her recent death. She loss more than 40lbs in 11 weeks on the controversial Lighter Side Diet . This diet provides you with a little over 500 calories a day! She was literally starving herself. To get an idea on what the calorie intake should be for women, please click on “Calories”.

To all of my brides out there, DIETS don’t work. I know this because I have struggled with my weight as well. What we have to do is exercise and eat properly. Is this hard to do for some of us, oh yes! But there is no other way around this. Do not let the authors of these crash diets tell you otherwise. You have to move more and limit the fat, processed foods and sugars. Unfortunately, we want it quickly and quickly will not keep it off or assure you good health.

A spokesperson from the company Lighter Life claims no responsibility and stated: “We were very sad to hear the news about Samantha Clowe, but Ms. Clowe was still clinically obese and her health may have already been compromised even though her BMI went from 37 to 32 at the time of her death.

Home Office pathologist Dr Alfredo Walker said a post-mortem examination failed to establish a cause of death, adding that it may be related to her low calorie diet and weight loss.

Samantha Clowe didn’t want to be a “fat bride”, but now she will not be a bride at all because of a desperate attempt to fit into the “perfect bride” perception. Ladies when embarking upon this journey, please remember what is important. Your future life with the one you love, not an outside perception, image of what you think you have to look like on your wedding day.

What exactly is beautiful?! Glamour Magazine, one of the nation’s leading beauty and fashion magazines is in an uproar over the semi-nude pictures of plus size model Lizzie Miller in it’s newly dropped September issue. A “plus-size” model by modeling industry standards even though she is a size 12 – 14.

For this post, I am going to get on my soapbox. This is very personal to me since I am a beautiful plus-size woman. I have gone up and down in my weight all of my life, also doing some so-called plus size modeling in my 20’s at size 10 – 12!

With obesity rates for US females ranking us 8th in the world, I am well aware of this problem. Is this good news? Heck no! Many of us are trying to adopt new healthy eating habits and incorporate exercise into our daily lives to live long and productive lives. But the reality, which is my reality and most of the women in the US today is that we are not a size 0,2, 4, 6 or even 10. The average size of the American woman is a size 14 in this country!

What I am truly tired of is the constant barrage of thin, thin women being made this country’s beauty symbols through popular beauty publications, television, movies, internet and print advertising. Too many of our young women who are not these thin model like people are becoming self-loathing, habitual dieters, diet pill popping, some even becoming anorexic and bulimic in their desperate attempts to become these unrealistic symbols of beauty!

The outcry that has resulted from Glamour Magazine’s pictorial of Lizzie Miller is a standing ovation from average sized women around the country. They are thrilled to see someone that looks like them and is happy in her own skin! Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder but I say that Beauty is how you see yourself!

In keeping with this topic, Rene’John Designs will be featuring a future blog category called “Botticelli Brides”. This is a specialty section for brides with curves. A pictorial spread of beautiful curvaceous woman who are proud of themselves, who they are at whatever size they my presently be. This section will provide on-line and local resources for the shapely “Botticelli Bride”. Watch for it and Enjoy Beauty! (That’s you)

About

University Hilton - Charlotte, NC

My name is Rene’ Davenport and I have been in the business of weddings in some form or the other for over 10 years. Whether I am planning a wedding, styling a wedding or both, I love anything and everything that has to do with weddings and the beauty connected to them. For me to create something beautiful is to breathe in and out. I need it, I feel it. To create something beautiful makes me feel alive and useful. I get so excited when signing a new client! It’s like a blank slate. And to see the finished product is better than cheesecake!

So when I say I love what I do, that is an understatement. It is a privilege and blessing to help you make that special day all that you ever dreamed it could be. Call me! Oh, and remember…………Enjoy Beauty! (That’s you)